Educational technology, granting rule-making authority, and making appropriations. (FE)

1. A cooperative educational service agency (CESA).

2. A consortium consisting of two or more school districts, independent charter school authorizers, secured correctional facilities, or CESAs.

3. A consortium consisting of one or more school districts, independent charter school authorizers, secured correctional facilities, or CESAs and at least one public library board.

In awarding educational technology training and technical assistance grants, DOA must award annually at least one grant to an applicant in each CESA territory and at least five grants to applicants that include at least one school district whose membership per square mile is less than 10. DOA must also give a preference to consortia that include a public library. The bill limits the number of educational technology training and technical assistance grants that DOA may grant in any school year to 30. A recipient of an educational technology training and technical assistance grant must provide information to DOA about training programs or technical assistance funded by the grant, as requested by DOA after consulting with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

Educational technology block grants Under the bill, DOA is required to award grants to school districts, which may be used for any purpose related to educational technology except for paying the salary or benefits of a school district employee (educational technology block grants).

To become eligible for an educational technology block grant, a school board, or an annual meeting in a common school district, must adopt a resolution to request the grant. Annually, DOA must first award $3,000 to each eligible school district and then distribute any remaining funding for the grants as following:

1. Two-thirds to eligible school districts whose membership per square mile is less than 10.

2. One-third to eligible school districts whose membership per square mile is 10 or more.

A recipient of an educational technology block grant is required to provide information to DOA about educational technology in the school district, as requested by DOA after consulting with DPI.

Educational technology infrastructure grants The bill requires DOA to create a program to provide grants to school districts and public libraries for the purpose of upgrading and modernizing wide area networks (commonly known as WAN) and local area networks (commonly known as LAN) that are used for instructional purposes.

Educational telecommunications access program Under current law, DOA administers a program under which an educational agency may access a data line and video link (also known as the TEACH program).

Current law limits the amount an educational agency may be charged for access to a data line or video link to $250 or $100 per month, depending on the connection speed. Under the bill, DOA may also provide a subsidy to an educational agency that obtains broadband services from a provider who is not participating in the TEACH program if the educational agency does not have physical access to a data line or video link provided under the TEACH program.

Digital Learning Resources Under current law, DPI is required to make online courses available for a reasonable fee to school districts, charter schools, private schools, tribal schools, and CESAs. The bill requires DPI to create and operate a program that provides digital learning resources to the same educational entities and also to public libraries.